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Dhokla is a vegetarian food item that originates from the Indian state of Gujarat. It is made with a batter prepared from chickpea flour. It is a great snack which is enjoyed by most parts of India. It is also a street food. It is extremely spongy like a sponge cake but its a savory dish. It can be served with mint chutney/ketch up. Its very easy to make and a great healthy snack for kids and elders. I can call it a guilt free snack. It is prepared by steaming but can be prepared in a microwave as well. I have included both methods in this instructable.

My daughter is 22 months old now and she didn't seem to like it that much but am sure she will love it as she grows up. My husband just loves it :-)

The consistency of the batter should not be watery but little pouring consistency. Use luke warm water only to mix.

In the meantime, boil water in a big vessel for cooking via steam.

Add fruit salt to the batter. Immediately pour the batter in a greased vessel.

We have to now cook this batter with steam cooking technique. Place the plate containing the batter into the pot containing boiling water and cover it.

Let it cook for atleast 20mins. Ensure that you do not open the lid in between.

After 20mins, open the lid, the cooked batter/dhokla would have almost doubled in size and will be spongy.

The sides of the dhokla would be separated from the sides which is a sign that it is cooked perfectly.

Loosen the sides with a knife. Invert it on another bigger plate.

Cut it into smaller pieces and serve as it is.

You could make seasoning and pour it on top of the dhokla, then cut it into bite size pieces and serve hot.

For the seasoning, add mustard seeds, red chilly flakes, curry leaves and shredded coconut to hot oil for about 30seconds. The seasoning is ready.

Note: If you do not have an appropriate steaming vessel, then we can create our own. For that, take a big pot and boil water such that it covers about 3 inches from the bottom of the pot. Inside the big pot containing boiling water, place a smaller vessel of about a minimum 3 inch height so that when we place the plate containing the batter on top of this smaller plate, it won't drown in the water below. The batter has to cook via steam only else it will get mushy.

For cooking in microwave, post step 6, instead of pouring the batter in a normal vessel, pour the batter in a greased microwave safe bowl, cover it with another microwave safe plate and cook in microwave for 3 mins. Then check it and cook for another 2 mins. Mine cooked in 5mins. Insert a fork and if it comes out clean then the dhokla is done. Let it stand for 10mins before seasoning/cutting as mentioned from step 12 to 14.